Amanat, previously known as Nur Otan, was a political party of Kazakhstan and the largest political association in the country, with around 800,000 members as of 2023. The party held a majority of seats in the Mäjilis, the lower house of Parliament of Kazakhstan, maintaining its dominant influence in the nation's legislature.
Originally founded in 1999 as the Otan (Kazakh: Отан, lit. 'Fatherland'), the party was formed through the merger of several pro-presidential groups, including the People's Union of Kazakhstan Unity, the Liberal Movement of Kazakhstan, and the For Kazakhstan — 2030 Movement. In 2006, the party was renamed Nur Otan, and in 2022, it adopted the name Amanat.
Under the leadership of Nursultan Nazarbayev from its founding following the 1999 presidential election until 2022, Amanat became the ruling party of Kazakhstan, consistently winning presidential and parliamentary elections with large supermajorities. The party was frequently accused of electoral fraud and systemically suppressing opposition, especially during elections where it held a monopoly in the Parliament. In 2007, Nur Otan secured all contested seats in the Mäjilis, cementing its status as the country's dominant political force. Allegations continued after 2012, when other parties gained limited representation.
After Nazarbayev's withdrawal from active politics in 2022, Mäjilis chairman Erlan Qoşanov assumed the position of party leadership, becoming the first non-executive official to chair Amanat, following a brief tenure by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Despite this leadership transition, Amanat remained a party of power, continuing to align towards Tokayev's administration. The party strongly supported Tokayev's constitutional reforms in the 2022 referendum that aimed at shifting to a more balanced president-parliamentary system, while also backing his successful independent campaign bid during the 2022 snap presidential election as part of the People's Coalition. From 2023, Amanat had maintained its majority control of the Mäjilis, playing a central role in the nation's political and economic developments. In June 2026, Amanat voted to dissolve its independent structure at an extraordinary congress, choosing to merge into the newly established Ädilet party ahead of the 2026 legislative election.
During its existence, Amanat had been described as a big tent party, generally leaning conservative, with a focus on stability, national unity, and economic development. It promoted reforms in areas such as civil service, economic diversification, and the rule of law. The party's governance style had been described as authoritarian, with critics noting restrictions on political freedoms and limited opposition.
Amanat had a widespread presence across Kazakhstan's administrative divisions and held numerous local offices, maintaining legislative control through deputy groups in local assemblies (mäslihats) throughout the country.
Contents
History
Foundation
Amanat traces back to its origins in October 1998, when the Public Headquarters in Support of the Candidate for President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nazarbayev N.A. during the 1999 election was formed, then ran by former Prime Minister Sergey Tereshchenko. The party derived its name from the Arabic word watan (fatherland), which is spelled as otan in the Kazakh language. Shortly following President Nursultan Nazarbayev's re-election win, a decision was made at the headquarters' meeting on 19 January 1999 to convert the formerly campaign staff into the "Otan" Republican Political Party (Kazakh: «Отан» Республикалық саяси партиясы; Russian: Республиканская политическая партия «Отан»), which was subsequently registered on 12 February 1999.
Its 1st Founding Congress was held on 1 March 1999 in Almaty, an event which was attended by about 400 delegates from all regions, cities and districts of the country. Amongst them were representatives of 17 nationalities, 104 entrepreneurs and businessmen, 67 public sector workers, 122 civil servants. The party outlined a program largely supportive of Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was elected by the delegates as the Otan chairman. However, Nazarbayev declined to take over the chairmanship on a constitutional basis, resulting in Tereshchenko taking the role as the acting chairman while Nazarbayev himself would serve as the de facto party leader. Speaking at the congress, the Nazarbayev stated that:"The country can relatively painlessly survive the modern world challenges, only strengthening the internal economy, internal political stability, only demonstrating civil consolidation and solidarity. And in this regard, I have special hopes for the political party being created today, which we decided to call the word 'Otan' (Fatherland). The main thing is that the party is created from below, at the initiative of those thousands of volunteers who supported my candidacy for the Presidency in all the settlements of our country."– President Nursultan Nazarbayev, speaking at the 1st Founding Congress, 1 March 1999
At the congress, several pro-presidential parties: the People's Union of Kazakhstan Unity, Liberal Movement of Kazakhstan, Democratic Party, and For Kazakhstan-2030 were merged with Otan.
On 23 April 1999, the party was re-registered in the Ministry of Justice.
Nazarbayev leadership
The Otan for the first time participated in the 1999 legislative elections, with 54 candidates from single-member districts and 18 from the party-list for the Mäjilis. The party won a minority of 23 out of 77 seats with 30.9% of the vote with a majority of independents and political associates whom were affiliated with the party's parliamentary group. On 14 December 1999, the Bureau of the Mäjilis registered the Otan parliamentary group with 39 MP's, which included 13 Senators, 26 Mäjilis members. By the decree of the party's Bureau of the Political Council, Quanyşbek Böltaev was approved as the head of the faction, and Urazalinov Sh.A. as the deputy. In the run-up to previous elections, Otan usually received a majority of domestic media coverage. Before the 1999 legislative elections, for example, it was reported that Otan was the main focus in almost 60% of the coverage.
On 20 April 2001, at the 3rd Ordinary Congress, Nazarbayev summarised the results of the party's work telling that "the party has gained good work experience and over the past years has shown that it lives up to its name and can work to strengthen statehood, to consolidate society, to protect the interests of citizens."
At the 4th Extraordinary Congress held on 9 November 2002, the amendments and additions were made to the Otan's party charter, program for the development of small and medium-sized businesses for 2003–2005 was approved. Nazarbayev proclaimed three main themes of the congress agenda of which were: problems of political modernization, improvement of the political system–issues of further development of the economy and, accordingly, the solution of social programs–issues of security of the individual, society, the state. Nazarbayev proposed that the Otan should be a centrist party with social democratic platform to which he praised it as a "creative potential, advocating a state with a socially oriented market economy, with high social stability and a developed social infrastructure." From there, the People's Cooperative Party of Kazakhstan and Republican Political Party of Labour merged with Otan. By that time, the Otan had already 7,000 primary party organizations in all 206 district and city offices and 16 branches. 1,660 party members became members of regional, city and district mäslihats (local assemblies).
In 2003, 2,240 members of the Otan were elected to mäslihats (local assemblies) of all levels. Having an overwhelming majority in the representative bodies of power at all levels, the party gained its opportunity to influence the socio-economic policy of the state by region.
Tokayev leadership
On 28 January 2022, at the 21st Extraordinary Congress of Nur Otan, the party underwent a leadership transition as Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was unanimously elected chairman, succeeding Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had led the party since its founding in 1999. The transition was endorsed by Nazarbayev and marked a shift in the party’s direction. Addressing the congress, Tokayev outlined key priorities aimed at revitalizing the party’s role in governance, including reinforcing national unity, enhancing ideological engagement, restructuring the party's faction presence in the Mäjilis, tackling socio-economic challenges, strengthening public outreach, and intensifying anti-corruption efforts. He also signaled the possibility of stepping down as chairman later in the year, citing the importance of presidential impartiality in political affairs.
Following this transition, several key changes took place within the party's political structure. On 1 February 2022, Nurlan Nigmatullin resigned from his position as chairman of the Mäjilis, a role he had held since 2016. Additionally, on 25 February 2022, Dariga Nazarbayeva, the daughter of Nazarbayev, stepped down from her parliamentary mandate.
At the 22nd Extraordinary Congress of Nur Otan, held on 1 March 2022, Tokayev supported a proposal by Erlan Qoşanov to rename the party to Amanat. During the congress, Tokayev emphasized the need to decentralize party structures, enhance direct voter engagement, shift focus from populist rhetoric to addressing concrete social issues, and launch new citizen-driven policy initiatives to strengthen Kazakhstan's political stability amid global uncertainties. A significant outcome of the congress was the removal of Nurlan Nigmatullin from the Amanat Political Council, following his earlier resignation as chairman of the Mäjilis.
Qoşanov leadership
On 26 April 2022, at the 23rd Extraordinary Congress of Amanat, Tokayev formally resigned from his position as party chairman and withdrew from membership, reinforcing his commitment to presidential neutrality and emphasized that the president should not be affiliated with any political party, which he believed would promote fairness and ensure equal opportunities for all political forces. Tokayev's resignation followed significant changes within the party, including the merger of the Adal party with Amanat. In his speech at the congress, Tokayev expressed confidence that Amanat would remain pivotal in Kazakhstan's political life without his leadership, nominating Erlan Qoşanov, Chairman of the Mäjilis, as his successor due to his extensive experience and leadership capabilities, with the congress delegates unanimously approving his candidacy.
After taking over as chairman of Amanat, Qoşanov highlighted the intensified political competition following Tokayev's departure from the party, stressing that the party's responsibility lies in addressing societal issues and resolving citizens' concerns to achieve electoral success. He reaffirmed the party's commitment to supporting President Tokayev's reforms, focusing on political, economic, and social changes to improve citizens' lives and increase competition in various sectors. Qoşanov emphasized the need for clear roadmaps and regional targets to implement the election program, while ensuring Amanat's active role in building a New Kazakhstan and combating bureaucracy for meaningful progress.
Following the registration of the Ädilet party in June 2026, Amanat's leadership expressed support for the consolidation of pro-presidential political forces around the reform agenda of president Tokayev and the implementation of the new constitution. At a meeting of the party's political council on 6 June 2026, members endorsed political unification with Ädilet.
At the 26th Extraordinary Congress on 12 June 2026, attended by more than 1,500 delegates, including members of the political council, members of parliament, representatives of the party’s youth wing Jastar Ruhy, and delegates from all regions of Kazakhstan, Qoşanov proposed merging Amanat with the newly formed Ädilet party, stating that the country required "new points of unification" rather than new political divisions. He also noted that, despite recent changes, "associations about the party's past" persisted in public perception, and said Amanat had entered a new stage of development, with greater national unity and cohesion required. Delegates subsequently voted to dissolve the party and merge it into Ädilet. Party leaders described the decision as a means of consolidating political forces in support of the country's reform programme.
Organisation
The party operated based on principles like voluntariness, equality, self-government, legality, and transparency, with its mission and values outlined in the political platform.
Membership
Membership in Amanat was voluntary, open to Kazakh citizens aged 18 and over who met the party's requirements, participated in its activities, and paid dues. Members could not belong to other political parties, and admission was decided by local or higher party organizations based on written applications. Membership could have been terminated for reasons such as voluntary withdrawal, legal issues, or actions harmful to the party's interests, with penalties ranging from warnings to expulsion. Members had the right to participate in party activities, voice opinions, and appeal decisions. They must have adhered to the party's charter, have actively supported its goals, paid dues, and attended meetings.
As of 1 January 2018, the Amanat party reported to have had 1,016,540 members, a significant growth from 164,041 in 2000.
The party's membership demographics were predominantly female, with 63.8% women and 36.2% men. In terms of age, 17% of members were under 30, 26.7% were between 30 and 40, and 23.6% were aged 41 to 50. Older members, aged 51 to 60, made up 20.1%, and 12.6% were over 60. Ethnically, 77.3% of the members were Kazakh, followed by 14.6% Russians, and smaller groups of Ukrainians (1.9%), Uzbeks (1.4%), Germans (0.8%), Tatars (0.8%), and others (3.2%). Regarding education, 52.7% held higher education, 25.1% were middle professionals, and 22.2% had middle-level education. Professionally, 29.5% worked in education, science, and culture, 24% in industry and services, and 4.6% in state bodies. Other sectors included healthcare (7.9%), agriculture (1.5%), small and medium business (4.1%), and college students (2.4%). Additionally, 14.1% were pensioners, 1.3% were disabled, and 10.6% belonged to other professions.
International partnership
Despite not being affiliated with any political international, Amanat had signed and renewed numerous cooperation agreements with other political parties worldwide. In October 2011, one was signed in Astana between Amanat and the Ukrainian Party of Regions, and another in 2015 with United Russia.
Jastar Ruhy
Jastar Ruhy is a youth wing of the Amanat party, bringing together over 100,000 young people with a focus on hard work, knowledge, and civic engagement. Originally known as Jas Otan from 2008 to 2022, the organization was renamed on 12 July 2022 following the previous rebranding of the Nur Otan party as Amanat. It began as a volunteer movement and has since grown into one of the largest youth organizations in Kazakhstan. Over time, Jastar Ruhy has been involved in shaping youth policy and has participated in various social, environmental, patriotic, and cultural initiatives, as well as charitable projects. The organization seeks to engage young people across different regions, advocate for their rights and interests, and provide opportunities for public participation and discussion.
Academy of Political Management
The Amanat Party Academy of Political Management, originally established as the Nur Otan Higher Party School in 2010, was founded following a proposal by President Nursultan Nazarbayev to improve the professionalism of party members. Its primary goal was to enhance the qualifications of party managers through additional education programs. The school initially opened regional branches in Aktobe, Almaty, and Semey in 2010–2011 to expand political education.
In 2013, the school was reorganized and renamed the Nur Otan Party School of Political Management, with updated objectives and methods. Since 2016, the shift to distance learning formats led to the closure of regional branches, and the school began offering 3-level training programs targeting party members at central, regional, and territorial levels.
On 18 May 2022, following a directive from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the school was re-registered as the Amanat Party Academy of Political Management. The Academy began offering new training programs for various groups, including rural akims, women leaders, young politicians, and maslihat deputies.
Amanat Media Group
The Amanat Media Group, originally established as Nur Media on 25 November 2008 by the Amanat party, was one of Kazakhstan's largest media companies. Initially founded in partnership with the Samruk-Kazyna fund, the company grew to manage various media assets, including Astana TV, Aiqyn, Liter, Türkistan newspapers, and NS and ORDA FM radio stations. With a team of 400 journalists working nationwide, the group focused on expanding its media presence while producing exclusive and relevant content.
Institute of Public Policy
The Institute of Public Policy, established in June 2016, served as an analytical center for the Amanat party. It conducted research on socio-political and economic trends, monitored public sentiment, and assessed the effectiveness of government agencies in implementing strategic initiatives. The E-Analytics system supported nationwide sociological research, enhancing data-driven decision-making. The institute also facilitated feedback between the state, the party, and the public, while providing expert analysis for party activities. It aimed to be a key source of analytical insights and innovative policy approaches for Amanat.
Leadership
Party congress
The Congress served as the supreme governing entity of the party; its legitimacy was established when all party branches were represented, with delegates elected primarily at regional branch conferences or, in certain situations, appointed by the chairman during political council meetings; during its sessions, decisions were made by a majority vote encompassing representatives from all party branches, and an extraordinary congress could be called upon the decision of the political council, the chairman, or upon the initiative of a significant majority of regional branches.
The party congress was mandated to convene at least once every four years, either by the party chairman or the political council. It possessed the authoritative mandate to address and resolve all matters concerning the party's operations, with its exclusive purview encompassing pivotal tasks such as the adoption and modification of the party's charter, program, and associated documents; the election and removal of the Party Chairman; the appointment and removal of members from the political council and central control and auditing commission; the endorsement of party members for key political positions and the adjustment of electoral lists; oversight through receiving reports from the political council and the central control and auditing commission on inter-congress activities; the establishment, structure, and dissolution protocols for party governing bodies; endorsement of audit regulations; decisions regarding party reorganization or dissolution; and setting the membership fee structures.
Chairman
The Chairman of the Party held the paramount leadership position, overseeing general management and presiding over the party congress, directing the political council and its bureau while proposing key nominations for presidential and parliamentary candidates; further responsibilities encompass appointing and dismissing party officials, coordinating with the party's parliamentary faction, ensuring the party's growth, discipline, and personnel policy, making decisions on organizational structures, representing the party domestically and internationally, issuing necessary powers of attorney, endorsing resolutions, and addressing activities outside the exclusive purview of the party congress, with additional rights including the initiation of motion of no confidence against the government and adherence to legal and party charter mandates.
Since the party's creation in 1999, the role of Executive Secretary evolved, preceded historically by the positions of the first deputy chairman and acting chairman; toward the end of the party's life, the chairman possessed the authority to delegate powers to the Executive Secretary, encompassing responsibilities such as managing party activities, coordinating parliamentary faction work, approving party regulations and budgets, awarding party accolades, overseeing personnel matters, chairing key meetings, making decisions aligned with the party charter, and other functions, ensuring seamless operational continuity and effective governance.
Political Council
The Political Council, serving as the supreme representative body, played a pivotal role in guiding the party's strategic direction, encompassing tasks such as delineating activity directions in line with party congress decisions, overseeing party participation in election campaigns, sanctioning primary election rules, formulating and endorsing political statements, defining the party's stance on emerging societal issues, electing its Bureau members upon the chairman's proposal, orchestrating party congresses and intra-party discussions, and addressing other pertinent matters within its jurisdiction, while also possessing the discretion to delegate specific issues to its Bureau for further deliberation.
Bureau of the Political Council
The Bureau of the Political Council served as a central managerial entity responsible for overseeing party operations between congresses and Political Council meetings, ensuring the implementation of decisions made by higher party bodies, addressing significant socio-economic and political matters of the republic, managing deputy mandates distribution, evaluating reports from party branches and parliamentary factions, expressing the party's stance on public affairs, convening crucial meetings, proposing candidate nominations for legislative bodies, establishing and overseeing deputy factions, determining personnel strategies, approving candidate lists for local representatives, endorsing party documents and awards, addressing membership terminations and appeals, forming specialized commissions, and making pivotal decisions on the party's organizational structure, penalties, and participation in legal entities, while also possessing the authority to rescind decisions conflicting with higher party mandates.
Central Office
The Central Office serves as the coordinating hub for the party's structural subdivisions and branches, offering comprehensive support encompassing information, analysis, organizational logistics, and legal assistance while ensuring the implementation of directives from the chairman, executive secretary, and other party leadership; its operational guidelines and staffing decisions are set by the Executive Secretary, who also oversees employment matters in compliance with Kazakh labour and social security regulations.
Ideology
The Amanat party positioned itself as a "party of people" committed to the development of Kazakhstan as a democratic, economically strong, and secular state.
The Amanat party was often described as a "big tent party", encompassing a broad spectrum of political views under its umbrella. The party officially had a centrist ideology, with a blend of liberalism, social conservatism, and elements of social democracy. It supported significant emphasis on youth empowerment, encouraging their integration into the social and economic spheres. Amanat also sought to advance anti-corruption initiatives, focusing on the promotion of public control over governmental activities and encouraging greater civic participation.
Amanat's core values were encapsulated in its 2013 doctrine that defines the party as "the dominant political force that consolidates society and ensures the implementation of the state course of Elbasy", which underscores national sovereignty, self-determination, stability, and the creation of a strong middle class. It is dedicated to preserving Kazakhstan's family values and cultural identity, including the promotion of the Kazakh language, while respecting the diverse ethnic groups that make up the country.
In terms of economic and environmental policies, the party emphasized economic diversification, the protection of private property, and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. It also focused on ensuring that social assistance reaches vulnerable groups within society. On the international stage, Amanat followed a Multi-Vector Policy, seeking to balance Kazakhstan's interests across a broad range of international relationships, positioning the country as an active global participant.